Austria Vienna parts ways with Ortlechner: Wagner takes the lead!

Austria Vienna parts ways with Ortlechner: Wagner takes the lead!

On November 11, 2025, Austria Wien took a decisive step in sporting management: the club changed itself from sports director Manuel Ortlechner separated. He had been in office since summer 2021 and led the club to third place in the Bundesliga in the 2021/22 and 2022/23 seasons. But the current season is anything but ideal: after 13 match days, the team is only in seventh place and would therefore miss out on the championship group.

“After a detailed analysis, we saw a need for action in the sports management,” explained board member Harald Zagiczek in a statement Salzburg24 was published. The decision came in a context that also included the resignation of the sports director Jürgen Werner contributed to a realignment at the end of August 2025.

New man at the top

As Ortlechner's successor Michael Wagner presented. He has 14 years of experience as a coach at the amateur club TSU Obergänserndorf and is also very familiar with being on the board of directors at Austria Vienna. Wagner received a contract until 2028 and is optimistic that he will be able to further develop the club's strategic direction. “I’m looking forward to being involved in this exciting project,” he said at his presentation.

Austrian and legend: President Kurt Gollowitzer In his speech, he thanked Ortlechner for his commitment and described him as a deserving Viennese who was always loyal to the club. The separation not only comes as a surprise to the fans, but it also shows the pressure that the club's management is under to improve sporting results.

What does this mean for the future?

The Austrian football Bundesliga does not stand still, and so the topic of training is also very important. The Bundesliga campus offers an extensive educational program that not only provides continuing education to existing club employees, but also trains new talent for football management. Since the demands of modern football are constantly growing, sound training is crucial for the long-term success of clubs.

With over 20 years of experience in training and further education, the Bundesliga campus has already successfully trained more than 170 participants in a wide variety of areas of football. The combination of face-to-face events, e-learning and excursions ensures that future generations of trainers and managers are optimally prepared for their tasks.

The coming months will show whether the decision for Michael Wagner as the new sports director was the right step. Excitement is definitely guaranteed, both on and off the pitch. With a breath of fresh air in the sporting management, they hope to be able to turn things around.